History or Shakespeare?
by Red Nightmare14
Summary: A documentary on Richard III of England might have Donnie wondering...to what extent does Mikey's mental ability stretch to? Now a series of one-shots based on Shakespeare's plays, request for a character or pairing and a play in the comments.
1. Mikey: Richard III

_"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most of all lessons of history." _\- Aldous Huxley.

"Hey Donnie, whatcha watchin'?"

Mikey had just walked in on his brother Donnie watching a documentary of sorts. Mikey had missed the beginning and had no idea what kind of documentary it was.

Donnie barely glanced at his brother and carried on watching the man on TV drone on and on. "Hey Mikey, I'm just watching a documentary on Richard III of England. Did you know that he had a hump back and is said to have murdered his nephews in the Tower of London?"

Mikey shook his head.

"Well, Richard III drowned his brother, Edward IV, in a barrel of wine and killed his nephews in the Tower of London and buried them under the stairs and..."

Laughter prevented Donnie from continuing. "Dude, I know about Richard III, and what you've said isn't true." Mikey flipped over the couch and sat down next to Donnie. "First of all, there's not proof that Richard III had his brother drowned in wine or murdered his nephews. It's true that he put them in the Tower but he didn't bury them under the stairs."

Donnie turned off the TV. "But Shakespeare wrote a play on Richard III and he stated all those things. And he killed his wife and father-in-law..."

"Nope." Mikey giggled. "He didn't kill his wife or father-in-law." Donnie tried to speak again but Mikey interrupted. "And no, he didn't have a hump back."

"Then...why did Shakespeare wrote about that if it isn't true? Come to think of it, how do you know so much?"

"Well," Mikey began. "When Edward IV died, his sons were just kids so Richard became Lord Protector, which basically meant that he was looking after the country for the kids. However, Edward IV's marriage to his wife was declared invalid, so he wasn't actually married and his sons couldn't inherit the crown. Richard was declared King and put the boys in the Tower, probably for safe-keeping."

Donnie had fallen silent. How did Mikey know all this? He didn't even know what happened! "But...but what happened to the princes?"

Mikey's grin faltered slightly and he put on a thinking face."Don't know. They weren't seen again."

"So...Richard III might have murdered them."

"No. Some one else might have murdered them for Richard without his knowing, but Richard III didn't murder his nephews. You see, Shakys, or whatever his name was, lived in Tudor times and Henry VII had beaten Richard III in the War of the Roses. Shaky was probably trying to get on Henry's granddaughter, Elizabeth I's good side when he wrote about Richard III. It's like they say, history is written by the winners." A ding went off in the kitchen. "Ooh, my pizza's ready, see you, Donnie!"

Mikey jumped off the couch and ran towards the kitchen screaming at Raph, "Hey, that pizza's mine!"

Donnie was frozen to his spot. He'd never know that Mikey has that smart. Sure, Mikey was good at pulling pranks and drawing, but history? Donnie glanced at the kitchen where the sound of Leo's voice yelling at Raph and Mikey to stop fighting was hurting his ear drums. He might just go to his lab and get some projects done while no one's bothering him. But the conversation he's had with Mikey was still fresh in his mind.

Donnie shook his head and closed the lab door behind him. "I guess there's more to Mikey than I thought." He muttered.

_"History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies."_ \- Alexis de Tocqueville


	2. Donnie and April: Romeo and Juliet

**Requested my Mikki4mikey**

* * *

_"As I witness the death of beloved ones, it makes me become more conscious that life indeed has an end." _\- Lailah Gifty Aktia

April had always thought it was stupid that someone would kill themselves for love like Romeo and Juliet did. How could two people love each other so much that they would end their own lives for it? But right now, that didn't matter...

"Donnie!"

The shrill voice of the young female rang out against the New York rooftops that made pigeons fly as far away from the noise as they could. April screamed as her friend Donatello feel to the crack of the gun held by the smirking rhino. The turtle's crimson blood gently dripped down his plastron and was quickly washed away by a summer shower that was washing everything clean in the once dirty city.

But this was not something April wanted cleaning.

As Donnie's brother and Casey chased Bebop and Rocksteady away to their ironically named van, April ran towards Donnie instead. The bullet had hit his torso and he was fading fast. "Donnie... Donnie..." April couldn't form any words other than his name. He had been her first true friend (the Kraang Irma didn't count) and he had saved her more times than she could count, especially in the first few weeks of them meeting before she had started training with Master Splinter.

Something wet and not rain fell down her face and onto Donnie's face. Her tears. Donnie's unfocused eyes turned to her and April's heart filled with the unrealistic hope that he could live. "April?" the weak voice whispered to her. April nodded; keep his talking, keep him awake. "Don't cry. You look lovely without puffy eyes." Keep him talking. Keep him talking. "I want to tell you something. Something important."

"Itsokay, Donnie, you can tell me later. You'll be okay." Even as she said those words, they had the feeling of untruth to her.

Donnie smiled. Not his usual goofy smile always directed towards her, but a sad one. One that said he was sorry. "You know that's not true." She knew. But she wouldn't accept it. "The bullet got my lung. I'm sorry April, but I really do need to tell you something."

Nodding, April tuned her ears towards what could be Donnie's last words, depending on how long he'll long for. "This is... This reminds me of something."

"What?"

"That play. Romeo and Juliet. I feel like that. A star-crossed lover to you. I love you... I love you..." Donnie's eyes gently closed and his breathing slowed.

April's breath caught. "No, Donnie! Donnie stay away! Donnie!"

An even smaller smile than before graced Donnie's lips. One that would now stay on his face forever. "No! Donnie! No!" Caught in a whirlwind of emotions steaming from Donnie's confession and death, April gave a kiss to that small smile. Donnie didn't react. The blood was now dropped out of his mouth and down his cheek.

Warm arms gathered April's crying, shivering body towards a warmer chest. "Hey, Red, Don wouldn't want you to cry. It's okay, Casey Jones is here to protect you."

Right now, Casey was the last person April wanted comforting her. Her best friend had just died on her after confessing his feeling of love for her. Right now, April just wanted to be alone.

Alone... Alone... Alone...

The only feelings April knew was loneliness and longing as she pushed Casey away and ran in any direction she could. Just alone. She wanted to be alone. To grieve without being pushed towards the arms of another man, one who's affections she did not want not return.

It was ironic, she thought, that some of Donnie's last words would be about Romeo and Juliet. It was stupid that someone would kill themselves for love like they had, especially in a time when marriages of the higher class were about securing alliances between two families, not the love of two people. But then, if the two lovers hadn't have killed themselves then they would be forced to marry someone else who they didn't like. Romeo would die in battle, Juliet in childbirth, never to see each other again. If Donnie was right, then she was not going to die like Juliet could have.

A ship horn blew and April stopped running. The docks. April didn't know what she was doing until she felt her body submerge under the waves. Death sounded like a nice alternative. The warmth of another was not needed unless it was her best friend. Her love.

The one who listened

The one who cared

The one who loved her for who she was

April had always thought it was stupid that someone would kill themselves for love like Romeo and Juliet did. She had always thought that love that survived death could not exist.

"April?"

Until she saw the green face with a gap tooth and purple bandana stare at her among the clouds.

_"Love doesn't die with death. Love is like a liquid; when it pours out, it seeps into others' lives. Love changes form and shape. Love gets into everything. Death doesn't conquer all; love does. Love wins every single time. Love wins by lasting through death. Love wins by loving more, loving again, loving without fear." _\- Kate O'Neill


End file.
